Chain



Sept. 30, l9 4l ELI' L. STARR 2,257,579

CHAIN Fil'ed Feb. 11, 1941 INVENTOR. EI/e/e/z/L. xifQ/Y' ATTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 30, 1941 CHAIN Everett L. Starr, Providence, R. I., assignor to Fulford Mfg. 00., a corporation of Rhode Island Application February 11, 1941, Serial No. 378,430

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a chain, more particularly that type of chain having hollow body links with an integral shank on one extending into and being enclosed in the body of the next link.

Heretofore, in constructions of this character, it has been necessary to make the body links of imperforate construction as the manipulation of the stock for forming the hollow body causes considerable distortion of the stock and would deformany ornamental openings which might be placed therein.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a construction which will enable the body part of the link to be formed with a pierced design which will be pierced into the blank prior to its being drawn into its hollow final shape.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a construction of link that it may be made mechanically and automatically in a machine wherein a sheet of stock may be fed in at one end and the chain complete may emerge from another part of the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a chain construction of this character which will be stronger when subjected to flexing.

Another object of the invention is to provide a construction of link which may be formed in several different shapes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a link of such construction that, if hand assembled, may be formed of graduated sizes and/or different shapes of body portions.

A further object of the invention is to provide a chain link which will be of light weight.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. l is a perspective view of several links of my improved chain connected together;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the link after having some drawing operations performed upon it;

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2 of the opposite side of the link;

Fig. 4 is a central sectional view of the two links connected together and in dotted lines flexed;'

Fig. 5 is a .plan view of the blank cut out of sheet stock from which the link is drawn up;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a blank of modified construction showing in dotted lines the lines of folding the link;

Fi '7 is a side elevation of the link folded to finished shape;

Fig. 8 is an end view on line 88 of Fig. '7;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of a blank of a still different modification;

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the link of Fig. 9 completed (this link would have the same end view as Fig. 8);

Fig. 11 is a plan view of a still different blank;

Fig. 12 is a side elevation of this link drawn to finished form; and

Fig. 13 is a side elevation of a hand assembled chain showing diiferent shapes and graduated sizes.

From an examination of the above-mentioned drawing, it will be apparent that the link chain which I have provided may take several different shapes. One of those shapes which is usual is a sphere. In Fig. 5 I have illustrated at l5 a pierced blank out out of sheet metal in the shape necessary for drawing the blank into spherical form. This blank is difierent from blanks which are frequently formed in that instead of being provided with two wings, I have formed more than two wings; and in this particular construction I have provided four wings, each designated IE, and I have also provided a shank I! and an enlarged end portion I8. By providing a larger number of wings, such as I6, I require less thickness of stock and also, I draw the stock with less stretching or straining of the stock into its finished position and thus I am enabled to provide perforations IS in the form of a suitable design in the blank l5 located in the Wings as shown in Fig. 5.

After the blank is so formed, by a series of drawing operations the blank acquires the shape illustrated in Fig. 2, having a spherical portion 20, while the shank I 1 is formed tubular as at 2| and the head I8 is formed into a closed, hollow formation 22, with each of the wings extending upwardly as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. This shape will be formed after two or more drawing operations and when the shape of Fig. 2 or 3 has been acquired, the link is connected to the next link by insertion of the shank 2| into an opening 23 opposite the point of extension of the shank 2| side of the link and the portion adjacent the opening 23 on the adjacent link to come into contact as at 26 (see dotted lines in Fig. 4) prior to there being substantial pressure exerted upon the head 22 where greater leverage would be more apt to destroy the connection of the chain. Thus, from a flexing standpoint, considerable strength is provided.

The remaining illustrations in the drawing are upon the same principle as above described but because of commencing with a different shaped blank I provide a different shaped body. For instance, in Fig. 6 the blank is designated generally 30 and has a plurality of wings 31 which are folded along the dotted lines 32 so as to form a substantially cubical shaped link 33 (see Fig. '7) The shank 2| and hollow head 22 are as previously formed, the only difference being in the shaping of the end product of the link.

In Figs. 9 and 10, I have illustrated a link which is shaped very similar to that shown in Figs. 6 and '7, except that the blank now designated 35, in addition to having the wings 3|, now has Wings 36 at the mid portion of the wings 3| so as to provide a body 31 forming four additional surfaces and changing the configuration to pyramidal sections separated by the rectangular section 31. I

In Figs. 11 and 12, a still different modification is provided, something in the shape of an ellipsoid or football shape. Here, the blank 38 is provided with curved wings 39 which, upon being folded up, form the ellipsoid 49 shown in Fig. 12.

In all of these cases the same shank IT and head l8 are provided which will fold into the shank 2| and head 22 as heretofore referred to.

In Fig. 13, I have shown an assembly of different shaped links and different sized links in a progressive graduation. These are not automatically machine-formed, but each drawn to the extent shown in Fig. 2, then assembled; and after assembly, are closed in a press operation.

I claim:

1. In a chain construction, a plurality of links each provided with a hollow sheet metal body having an integral shank projecting from one side with an enlarged hollow head at the opposite end thereof and an opening on the side opposite said shank, the enlarged hollow head of the shank of one link being wholly enclosed within the hollow body of the next link, the length of the shank between the body and the head being such relative to the diameter of the body as to cause the bodies of adjacent links to contact prior to contact of the head of one with the interior surface of the body enclosing it upon flexing of th links of the chain.

2. In a chain construction, a plurality of links each provided with a hollow sheet metal body having an integral shank projecting from one side with an enlarged head at the end thereof and an opening on the side opposite said shank, th enlarged head of the shank of one link being wholly enclosed within the hollow body of the next link, the body of each link being drawn up from a sheet blank having more than two wing portions equally spaced from each other and shaped'to meet and close the body and with a shank-forming portion extending between two of said wing portions and with the edge of the blank opposit said shank-forming portion shaped to form. said opening upon the closing of said wing portions.

3. Ina chain construction, a plurality of links each provided with a sheet metal body having an integral shank projecting from one side with an enlarged head at the end thereof and an opening on the side opposite said shank, the enlarged head of the shank of one link being wholly enclosed within the hollow body of the next link, the body of each link being drawn up from a sheet blank having four wing portions equally spaced from each other and shaped to meet and close the body and with a shank-forming portion extending between two of said wing portions and with the edge of the blank opposite said shankforming portion shaped to form said opening upon the closing of said wing portions. I

4. In a chain construction, a plurality of links each provided with a sheet metal perforated body having an integral shank projecting from one side with an enlarged head at the end thereof and an opening on the side opposite said shank, the enlarged head of the shank of one link being wholly enclosed within th hollow body of the next link, the body of each link being drawn up from a sheet blank having more than two wing portions equally spaced from each other and shaped to meet and close the body and with a shank-forming portion extending between two of said wing portions and with the edge of the blank opposite said shank-forming portion shaped to form said opening upon the closing of said wing portions.

. EVERETT L. STARR. 

